Bam Bam, driven by Atlee Bender for trainer Erv Miller, continued to impress by winning his second straight in just three career outings in the Jerry Landess Series on Friday, April 17 at Hoosier Park.  

The series was for Indiana-sired male pacers, three years old and up, that were non-winners of one race or $10,000 lifetime as of March 15, 2026.

Leaving from post two in the $27,778 final, Bam Bam remained patient out of the gate, settling into the third spot. On the other hand, Vel See You Later (Clint Coy) was the most eager to lead the field into the first quarter in :29, followed by Dont Cuss Russ (John De Long) in the pocket.

Ilikeitlikethat (Brandon Bates) liked what he saw on the outside, moving from fourth to make front at the halfway mark :57.2. Bam Bam followed suit entering the final turn, bouncing out wide and challenging the leading Ilikeitlikethat to three-quarters in 1:25.2.

Battling down the homestretch, Bam Bam got the best of Ilikeitlikethat. Rejoining the party, Vel See You Later, hoping to make a late charge along the rail, ran out of steam. Dont Cuss Russ found a mountain of space as the field continued to spread out, surging past Ilikeitlikethat. Going out with a bang, Bam Bam crossed the wire 3-1/2 lengths in front in a new lifetime mark of 1:52.4. Going off stride towards the finish line, Vel See You Later scrambled for second but was placed back to third, with Dont Cuss Russ inheriting second.

The winning Tellitlikeitis-Podges Lady gelding has started a promising three-year-old season for owners Anthony Lombardi of Morris, Illinois, Engel Stable Of Il of Northbrook, Illinois and Louis Willinger of Louisville, Kentucky.

The favourite paid $2.60 to win.

Another Legend, driven by Kyle Wilfong for trainer Hector Herrera, pulled off a 39-1 upset, winning a dramatic photo finish in the $27,778 Mark Fransen Memorial Series final. This series was for non-winners of two races or $30,000 lifetime as of March 13, 2026.

Out of the gate in post four, Another Legend surveyed from behind in sixth as Steel Cowboy (Atlee Bender) led through the first quarter in :27.1. Continuing to lead to the backstretch in :54.3, Steel Cowboy had company from favourite Winnercircleseeker (Trace Tetrick) on the final turn before rebuking the challenge at three-quarters in 1:23.1.

The field began to swarm Steel Cowboy off the stiff fractions, with Rollin Sevens (John De Long) and Another Legend barrelling up wide from second and third-over, respectively. Another Legend struck the wire first in the three-across battle, prevailing by a neck over Rollin Sevens with Steel Cowboy holding third a half-length back of the 1:53.1 winner.

The four-year-old Bit Of A Legend N-Day Of Champions gelding is owned by Robert McCabe and Dyan McCabe of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. 

Another Legend paid $80.40 for the upset win.

Returning to racing next week, Hoosier Park has an Early Pick 5 carryover of $25,226 with $100,000 USD guaranteed for the wager spanning races one through five. Post time is set for 5:30 p.m. for Wednesday’s 14-race program, which also includes $10,000 USD guarantees on the Late Pick 4 (races 11-14) and Late High 5 (race 14) done in partnership with the United States Trotting Association's Strategic Wagering program.

(With files from Hoosier Park; photo of Bam Bam winning on April 17)